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Recyclebank

Choose eco-friendly packaging

By Shomik Ghosh |
April 05, 2012

Frozen baby food, often available in packages of six servings or more, uses less fossil fuel-intensive packaging and produces less waste.

Choosing to purchase items packaged in bulk, with recycled-content, or in recyclable containers means fewer new materials are used to ship your stuff from the manufacturer to your home. It also saves landfill space and uses valuable post-consumer resources.

How to choose eco-friendly packaging

Choose the least-packaged option: As you stare at the myriad choices available to you, pay attention to how much packaging each option uses. If there's no other appreciable difference, pick the one with the least amount of packaging.

Look for recycled-content packaging: If you flip them over, many packages tell you whether they're made of recycled materials. Look specifically for the phrase "post-consumer" to ensure you're getting something made out of materials collected at recycling centers (and not just industry by-products).

Locate the recycle symbol: Though most paper, tin, and glass packaging is recyclable, the same isn't true of plastics. Educate yourself about your local recycling center's acceptance policy and try to purchase products packaged in plastics it will take.

Before you buy

Many individually-packaged food products, such as yogurt, aren't packaged in recyclable plastic, which means containers will be sent to the landfill. In many cases, larger plastic containers are recyclable, so opt for them and re-distribute the contents into individual reusable containers when you get home.

Choosing eco-friendly package helps you go green because…

It reduces the amount of new materials, chemicals, and energy required for packaging.

It helps decrease the amount of packaging going to landfills by making use of post-consumer waste.

It saves landfill space and prevents toxic chemicals from entering soil and water.

Recyclebank, I'd like to see something done about patent medicines that come in redundant packaging. I buy these capsules that are individually sealed within plastic and metal, 2 cards in a box, and then 2 of those boxes within the larger one! Only the boxes can be recycled, and I don't see where all the plastic and metal seals are doing any productive use! Big pharma strikes again!

Try making your own baby food, packaging it in glass, freeze it in serving sizes. It really is MUCH better for baby, you, environment, everything! Grow your own veggies and fruits, if possible. One thing that does happen, however, is the little one will need larger and larger servings, so be prepared to use larger storage contains - hopefully NOT plastic!